MATTY Fryatt has been called up for England Under 19s duty later this month, leaving Walsall manager Paul Merson with an "absolute nightmare" shortage of strikers pre-season.

MATTY Fryatt has been called up for England Under 19s duty later this month, leaving Walsall manager Paul Merson with an "absolute nightmare" shortage of strikers pre-season.

The Saddlers learned today that Fryatt will depart on July 11 with England's squad for the European Under 19s Championships in Ireland - and is likely to be away for three weeks.

Merson intends to ask the FA to reconsider whether they really require Fryatt, who was originally selected only on standby before today's call-up.

But he is not optimistic - and virtually resigned to conducting much of his summer preparations without one of his most important players.

"It's an absolute nightmare," said Merson, "Matty will be away from July 11 until the week before the season starts.

"For most of pre-season we won't have one of our main men with us as we work on the way we want to play next season.

"I'm going to speak to Trevor Brooking to see if there's anything we can do. But when Matty was called up last spring we were fourth-bottom of the league and I told the FA my job was on the line but it didn't make any difference.

"What if he goes away with England for three weeks and doesn't get on the field? It's crazy."

Fryatt's call-up will leave the Saddlers with just one senior striker - Jorge Leitao - for much of the pre-season programme unless Merson can fish somebody out of the transfer market pretty sharpish.